


i'm absolutely smitten, i'll never let you go

by capn_cronch



Series: cap'n's schlackity stories [1]
Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, F/F, Good Jschlatt (Video Blogging RPF), How Do I Tag, Hybrids, M/M, Winged Alexis | Quackity, sorry this is my first ao3 fic lol, uhhhhhh yeah
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-04
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-16 02:35:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 10,103
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29199963
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/capn_cronch/pseuds/capn_cronch
Summary: a prince and a gardenerwhat will they do?~~~DISCLAIMER: I AM IN NO WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM SHIPPING REAL PEOPLE!!! ONLY THE DSMP CHARACTERS!!! THAT SHIT IS WACK!!! DONT DO IT!!!~~~title and chapter names are from "Absolutely Smitten" by dodie(i try to update as much as possible, but i have school work and other responsibilities. there's usually an update every week!)
Relationships: Alexis | Quackity & Niki | Nihachu & Ranboo, Alexis | Quackity & Phil Watson, Alexis | Quackity & Sam | Awesamdude, Alexis | Quackity & Technoblade (Video Blogging RPF), Alexis | Quackity/Jschlatt, Jschlatt & Niki | Nihachu, Karl Jacobs/Sapnap, Minx | JustAMinx/Niki | Nihachu, Toby Smith | Tubbo & Wilbur Soot & TommyInnit & Phil Watson
Series: cap'n's schlackity stories [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2145279
Comments: 76
Kudos: 402





	1. she knows this feeling all too well

**Author's Note:**

> uhhhhh hi! 
> 
> thanks for stoppin' by! i've never used ao3 before so please dont be harsh :,,) it would kill whats left of my self esteem  
> im not the best writer but i try my best to be funny n shit so i really hope u enjoy!!
> 
> (also i cuss like a fuckin sailor so yeah)
> 
> (o and my uploads are inconsistent so dont expect like daily updates or smth)

Practically everyone in the Kingdom of El Rapids had heard of the alliance their king formed with the Kingdom of Manburg.

An alliance in the form of marriage.

Quackity was the gardener for the castle in El Rapids, so he had heard of it fairly quickly. Princess Niki was to be married to Prince Schlatt. 

Now, he had never actually seen Schlatt, but he could make a guess by the way people talked about him. He seemed like every other suitor he had seen.

Stuck-up, egotistical, and rude.

Quackity liked to keep his distance from the royal family drama, despite being quite close with Niki. But this was only because he had caught her sneaking out around town at night.

He swore that he wouldn't tell anyone. Quackity even offered to help cover her. She had thanked him profusely and said she would ask her father to give him a raise.

He had to keep himself from bursting into tears right then and there.

Being a hybrid, it was already hard enough to find a job, let alone one at the castle; he was forced to keep his fluffy, yellow wings under his clothes.

"Big Q!" 

The voice snapped Quackity out of his thoughts. He looked up to see Tommy, pulling a tired-looking Tubbo behind him.

"Hey, Toms! What can I do for ya?"

"Do you think we could borrow some flowers? Tubbo 'n I wanna attract bees!" Tommy explained, hand still clutching his brother's.

Tubbo gave Quackity a small grin, "If you could, that'd be great. You don't have to though." He said, clearly nervous.

These were two brothers out of the four that Philza had running around. Wilbur and Technoblade were the oldest, and also twins.

Wilbur had a son. Adopted. They lived somewhere on the edge of town, close to Phil's cottage.

Techno, on the other hand, was slowly rising in the ranks in the King's Guard. The guy was terrifying and extremely difficult to land a hit on.

If he managed to get a higher position, it would be a big day for all hybrids.

The two younger brothers had Quackity wrapped around their fingers. He'd do anything for the little brats.

"Come with me, purple flowers attract bees the most, so you'll wanna take some of these..."

•~•

Schlatt had absolutely not been looking forward to marrying the Princess of Shell Captids or whatever the fuck it was called. But his dad said that this alliance was crucial, and whatever the king said, went.

So, here he was, getting yet another outfit made by the seamstress, Minx. Despite being his age, Minx had a knack for stitching and sewing. She was better than any other seamstress he'd had.

"Would you stop poking me?"

"I wouldn't be poking you, if you would stop fuckin' moving." 

"Maybe you should hurry up a bit."

"Maybe you should shut the fuck up."

Schlatt stared at himself in the mirror and Minx not-so-subtly picked up the pace. As much as they bickered, she was quite scared of the power he held.

They were best friends, and she knew he would never get her fired or demoted, but the threat was still nerve racking.

"Do you know anything about this girl?" She asked, making conversation.

"Barely. I only know what they've told me and what everyone knows." 

"Bet she's pretty." She said, voice slightly muffled by the pin in her mouth. "Arm up."

"As if that matters. I just hope she's not fucking annoying. Remember that one bitch from the Alpine Kingdom?"

"Janice?"

"Yes."

"Dude, she would not leave you alone. I got annoyed for you."

The two snickered and Minx dropped a few pins into a bowl. "That's all. Go ahead and changed, Lover Boy."

"Fuck off."

•~•

Quackity entered the Craft home, wincing at the sudden noise. He narrowly dodged a stick thrown by Tommy, who smiled sheepishly.

"Tommy, what have I told you about throwing things in the house?" Phil said, exasperated. He turned and smiled at Quackity, "Hey, Q, how was work?"

He shrugged, "Eh. Same old, same old." He sighed, pulling off his shoes and plopping on the couch next to Techno, who was home for the weekend.

"Hey, Tech."

"Hey, Feathers."

Phil set Tommy down on the couch in between Techno and Tubbo. "Dinner will be done in a few. Take a shower, Q, you need it." He said, wandering back to the kitchen.

Quackity groaned, "I guess I do need one, huh?" He said, catching a whiff of his own stank.

Techno snorted, flipping another page in his book. "Yeah, ya do." He said, looking at Quackity over his glasses.

"Oh, fuuuuu-" He glanced at Tommy and Tubbo, "rrrrick you."

"Nice save." He heard Phil call.

"Whatever."

~~~

After a well-needed shower, Quackity stumbled back to his room. Phil had let him move in after Wilbur left and Quackity's dad left on a business trip.

Don't get him wrong, his dad wasn't a bad person or a dead beat, the guy was just really fuckin' busy all the time. He visited at least twice a month, sometimes three if he was lucky.

Phil hadn't wanted Quackity to be alone, so he invited him to stay with the Craft Family. So, of course he'd accepted.

His hand drifted to the necklace his dad, Sam, had made for him before he left. Q had never taken it off, and he never will. It's too important.

As he got dressed, he thought about the prince that would be arriving tomorrow. 

What did he look like?

He was a hybrid, right? So why did the King agree to this?

Would he even like Niki?

He shook his head from the thoughts as he made his way back downstairs for dinner.

•~•

Schlatt and Minx shared a carriage on the way to El Rapids. She was coming in case he need adjustments (and maybe some moral support).

"So, are you nervous?" She asked, smirking.

Schlatt scoffed, "No, of course not. I'm never nervous." He said, crossing his arms.

"Uh-huh, sure."

•~•

"You! Gardner! We need more roses!" 

"Yes, of course. Right away."

Quackity raced to his wheelbarrow of flowers the decoration committee had asked him for. He pulled on his leather gloves and picked up a bunch of roses.

He turned swiftly, carrying them back to another person on the committee. They thanked him and immediately got to work on setting them up in vases around the place.

The whole castle was bustling with nerves and excitement. After all, the prince from another land was coming to El Rapids. A prince from a kingdom no one has seen before.

Quackity himself was a bit excited. Phil had been reluctant to let him go to work, but Q had explained that the castle needed everyone there. Just then the door opened, the king's messenger stepping in. 

"They're here! Places!"


	2. she feels her heart begin to swell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> prince schlatt arrives in el rapids, what does big q have to say about it??

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> two chapters today! just fwi i had this pre-written, so that's why i'm posting 2 chapters  
> dont expect chapters being posted this often!
> 
> enjoy!

After a very, very long ride to El Rapids, Schlatt didn't know if he would be able to attend the ball and dinner party. As he hopped out of the carriage, Minx informed him that she would have to leave him alone and go stand with the other workers.

Schlatt stood next to his escort, slightly (read: extremely) jealous that his older sister, Puffy, has to stay home. Whatever.

"Welcome to the Kingdom of El Rapids!"

•~•

"Welcome to the Kingdom of El Rapids!"

Quackity stood silently next to Ranboo, the stable boy, as they waited patiently for the other kingdoms rulers to arrive.

Ranboo wasn't one to say much, but he was kind and didn't bother Quackity much, so he often made small talk with the guy.

Suddenly, a very tall man in very expensive clothing walked in, being led by the King's right hand man.

He had large ram-like horns that curled around floppy ears. Gold earrings dangled from the ears and crimson eyes scanned the people in the room. He held himself with enough confidence to make even Phil and Techno nervous.

"Your highness, Prince Schlatt of the Manberg Kingdom."

And god, was he fucking stunning.

~~~

"Techno, listen." Quackity said immediately as he bursted into his home. 

Techno sighed, putting down his book. "I'm listening." He said.

"I saw the prince today, right?"

"Yup."

"And you know how everyone says hes a stuck up prick who only cares about himself?"

"Uh-huh."

"He's all of those things. But get this-"

"Oh? Do tell."

"He's really pretty."

Apparently Phil had overheard.

"Quackity-" The man started, already disappointed.

Q put his face in his hands, "I know, Phil, I know. Save the lecture for later." He groaned, leaning on Techno. "I need serious help."

"I'll give you my therapist's address."

"You don't have a therapist."

"It's a joke, Q-"

~~~

Quackity sighed. He stood up and brushed the dirt of his overalls. He had just finished planting a bunch of roses around the flower garden.

He picked up his basket of tools and made his way out of the garden. Quackity trudged back to the greenhouse, setting his tools in their spot and checking on the other plants.

"Uhhh, Quackity?" A voice said. "That's your name right?"

The gardener turned to see one of the queen's assistants there. "Yup, that's me! What can I do for you?" He asked, pulling off his gloves and shoving them into his overalls' pockets.

"The queen has requested yellow tulips for the dinner tonight. Please deliver them to the dining room as soon as possible."

Quackity nodded, "Of course. Right away, sir." He said.

With a final nod of approval and a checkmark written on a piece of paper, the man left.

Welp. Looks like he has some tulips to collect.

~~~

Quackity carried the bundle of tulips down the hall, slightly struggling to see. The dining room was quite large, and many nobles were coming, so the queen had requested quite a few flowers.

The bundle was getting dangerously close to slipping out of his hands as he walked more. The flowers had been separated into separate bundles and Quackity was too focused on getting them in as quick as possible to think of a smarter solution.

But, as luck was never on Q's side, he ran right into someone, promptly dropping all of the flowers. He started to apologize profusely, too focused on picking them up to look up at who he'd bumped into.

"Woah, it's alright. What are ya doin' with all those flowers anyway?"

Oh no. Quackity knew that voice.

He looked up, terrified for his fate. "Oh my gods, Prince Schlatt. I'm so sorry! I'm not usually inside, so this doesn't happen often." Quackity nervously tugged at the white bandana he had on that covered the yellow feathers in his hair.

Prince Schlatt looked taken aback, then picked up a bundle that was at his feet, holding it in his left hand as he helped the duck-hybrid off the floor. 

"Hey, I said it was alright, didn't I?" 

Quackity flushed and adjusted his grip on the flowers. "I'll be out of your way now. Sorry." He said quickly, trying to rush past him.

"Dude, are you sure? You look like you could use some help-" 

Yeah, no. Quackity was not about to ask the prince of another kingdom for help with some peasant job.

"No, no, it's fine. I do this all the time." He said, taking the bundle from the prince's hand. "Thank you, but I'll be going now-"

Schlatt raised an eyebrow, "I thought you said you're never inside." He said.

Quackity almost rolled his eyes, "I mean carry flowers, idiot-" His eyes went wide. Oh fuck.

He turned to the prince in fear, expecting the man to be angry. Upset that a lower level citizen had called him an idiot.

He was not expecting him to snort and full on chuckle at him.

"I-I am so sorry! I really have to go. Oh, gods, Phil is gonna kill me-"

"Wait-"

Quackity ignored him, choosing instead to rush to the dining hall to drop off the flowers. The queen's assistant smiled at him, telling him to give a few bundles to the other assistants who would prepare them.

"You may leave now, gardener."

Quackity felt his mood go down even more. Not that he wasn't used to being referred to as 'gardener', it just still hurt.

Not risking running into the prince again, he left out the back door. Maybe he would hang out with Ranboo a bit.

•~•

Schlatt swung open the door to his room, which Minx was already occupying. She lounged on his bed, reading a book of some sort.

"What's your dilemma now, Schlatt?" She asked, uninterested.

He closed the door, flopping face-first next to her on the bed (somehow not getting hurt by his horns). "I met some worker today." Schlatt said, muffled by the blankets.

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah. He ran into me cause he couldn't see over this massive pile of flowers he was carrying."

"Wow."

"He looked so scared when he realized it was me; like he'd get fired or something."

"Cool."

"Minx."

"Yeah?"

"I didn't even get his name. This kid ran into me, and didn't even tell me his name."

Minx rolled her eyes, "Well he was carrying flowers, right? He's probably the gardener. Go look out in the flower garden that the princess showed you." She said, looking back at her book.

Schlatt groaned, sitting up and adjusted so he was leaning against the head board. "You want me to actually interact with people?" He asked.

Minx dodged his horn, "Yes. Now go. You need more friends anyway." She shoved him, and he stumbled up and out of the door, flipping her off.

•~•

Quackity watered the flowers, Techno sitting on the bench watching. He was on a small break, so the two spent his limited time together.

"Techno, I literally just ran into him. Like he didn't fucking exist. I'm so embarrassed."

Techno snorted, crossing his arms. "Careful of those peonies, Q, don't wanna overwater them." He said.

Quackity quickly moved, "It's just-" He took a deep breath. "I have no idea if he's gonna tell anyone. What if I get fired? Tech, I need this job." 

Techno sighed. He had never been the one to comfort, that was Phil and Wilbur's job, but if the time came, he would do it.

He stood, placing a hand on his shoulder, "Hey, it's alright, Quacks. He probably won't tell anyone. From what you told me, he didn't seem all that bothered."

The duck hybrid, dropped the watering can and crossed his arms. "You don't know that, Techno. He could be telling someone right now." His wings ruffled under his shirt.

"Yeah, I don't think so."

Quackity furrowed his brow, looking up at Techno, who was staring at something behind him. He turned and lo-and-behold: Prince Schlatt.

"Alright. I gotta go." Techno said, even though Quackity knew he still had 10 minutes left.

"Techno-"

•~•

Schlatt rounded the corner, seeing the gardener talking to a very tall and intimidating man who also appeared to be a pig or boar hybrid.

He had bright pink hair that was pulled back in a long, loose braid. His red eyes could rival Schlatt's and his vibe just screamed 'do not fuck with me'. A boar-like tail swung behind him.

He looked up suddenly, making eye contact with Schlatt, who jolted slightly. The man said something to the gardner before he finally turned to face the prince.

The tall man patted his shoulder then left. Schlatt heard the gardner say 'Lenno' or something like that.

He took that as his chance to walk up to the man, who was almost trembling fear. Schlatt didn't want to make the poor guy nervous, but he guessed that's what happens when you're a prince.

"Hey, I just came out to ask for your name? And maybe talk a bit?" He said casually, hoping not to scare the guy further. 

"Oh, um-" His voice cracked. "Right, uh, my name's Quackity." He spoke quickly.

Schlatt smiled, "Well, Quackity, it's nice to meet you." He said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thats chapter 2 done! i hope you enjoyed! 
> 
> i hope y'all are ready for chpt 3, cause i'm not :O


	3. handsome stranger, you have made her insides turn to jelly

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> schlatt starts a conversation with our resident plant man, what happens next??

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> howdy!! back with another chapter :D
> 
> i usually just wing it most of the time, so sorry if you're like "wait what the fuck just happened??" im kinda just goin with the flow lol
> 
> hope you enjoy!

"Well, Quackity, it's nice to meet you."

And awkward silence settled over the two. Quackity shifted nervously, not really knowing what to say. Should he compliment him? Should he ask about his day?

"So," Schlatt said, breaking Quackity's train of thought, "You're the gardener, right?" 

"Uh, yeah! I spend most of my time with the crops in the back, though." He said, glad that Schlatt spoke first. 

"Does anyone else help you?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

Quackity averted his eyes, "Well, no, it's just me. But Ranboo, the stable boy, helps sometimes." His voice shook a bit, terrified of what would happen if he messed up.

Schlatt furrowed his brow, "Really? Back in Manberg, there are quite a few gardeners." He said.

"Oh."

The silence came back, suffocating Quackity. He was never one to be quiet, but in the presence of such an important person, he felt his throat tighten.

"Hey, gardener!" 

Quackity internally groaned. He recognized the voice as the Queen's assistant. Didn't he literally ask about his name earlier?

"Yes, sir?" He asked, turned to face the man.

The assistant didn't look too happy, "What are you doing talking to the prince? You're on duty!" He fumed, stepping up into Q's space. "And I'm sure you're bothering Prince Schlatt." 

Quackity flushed, "Sorry, sir, I'll get right on it." He said. 

"Good, The chef wants fresh tomatoes for dinner. Bring them down to the kitchen-"

He cut him off, "As soon as possible. Got it." Quackity said, feeling a bit tired.

The assistant flashed him a false grin. "Great! No more slip-ups, gardener, or you won't have a job to slip-up at." He said cheerfully. 

Schlatt opened his mouth to say something, but the assistant immediately cut him off. "Come now, Prince, you need to get ready for the dinner. Your seamstress is already set up." He said, scribbling something down on his paper and pulling the prince away.

"Wait-" 

Quackity met his eyes, shaking his head slightly and mouthing 'no'. There was no going against the queen's wishes, and he really couldn't afford to lose his job.

The assistant's babbling faded out the further they got. A sick feeling settled in Quackity's stomach as he once again wondered:

This is how they treat hybrids, so why were they allowing the princess to be married to one?

Little did he know, his answer would come soon enough.

•~•

Schlatt desperately wanted to punt this man in the face. He was finally getting Quackity to talk, and this guy comes and ruins it all.

"Now, you have a very busy schedule tomorrow, so it's important that you come to dinner then to go to bed early."

Schlatt held back an eye roll, "Where's Mi- I mean, my seamstress?" He asked.

The assistant didn't look up from his papers, "In your room, sir." He said, "She's waiting for you."

"Of course." When the man didn't leave Schlatt said, "I can walk there myself."

The assistant almost rolled his eyes before smiling, "Of course you can. Make sure to be in the dining hall by 8." With that, the man left down the hall.

Schlatt let out a breath of relief. Thank the gods that guy was gone. He didn't know if he could take anymore of that guy's blabbing.

He wandered into his room, grumbling as Minx forced him into a new outfit. It was simple, but eye-catching. A poet shirt with a maroon vest over it. The vest had intricate gold thread that twisted in different patterns. This was paired with some normal slacks.

"Don't make this harder than it has to be, Schlatt." She said, already getting to work, shoving in up on the stool in front of the mirror. "So, did ya talk to the guy?"

Schlatt sighed, "Sorta? I mean I got his name, but one of the queen's assistants came and ruined it." He explained, "The guy threatened to take his job if he had another 'slip-up'."

"What the fuck?" Minx said, scowling at nothing.

"I know right. And I wanted to explain that I was the one who talked to him first." Minx patted his arm and he lifted it. "I want to talk to him again, but I don't want to risk him losing his job."

"Well..." She paused, concentrating on her task. "I think you should try meeting with him. Find out when his break is and talk to him then."

"I guess I could do that..." He trailed off, "Anyway, how was your day?"

A light pink dusted Minx's cheeks, "Oh, well, I met the princess today. She stopped by, looking for you, and when I answered she asked if I wanted any tea." She said.

Schlatt knew where this was going. "Minx-"

She waved her arms, dismissing him. "I know, I know. But a girl can dream." With that, Minx put her materials away. "I'm all done, you should probably prepare yourself."

Schlatt sighed. "I guess I should."

•~•

By the time Quackity got home, his nerves were off the rails. He was close to having a full-blown panic attack.

"Hey, Q, welcome-" Phil stopped short, noticing his panicked state. "Quackity, what's wrong?" 

Quackity sat on the couch, putting his head in his hands. "I almost got fired, Phil. All because the stupid prince decided to come and talk to me." He felt the cushion next to him dip as Phil sat beside him.

"Well, you didn't lose your job, did you?"

"No, but-"

"Just be glad that you didn't get fired, Quackity. I'm sure the prince will try and clear things up with them." He said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You should go change your shirt, let your wings out."

"Wait, Phil-" He said suddenly, grabbing the man's wrist to keep him from leaving. "Do you...do you know when my dad's gonna be back?" He really needs him right now.

Phil gave him a sad smile, "I wish I could tell you, Q. Gods know he doesn't let anyone know what he's doing." He said.

Quackity's hand traveled up to the necklace, not noticing the tear slipping down his cheek. Phil frowned, sitting down beside him again, a large, black wing wrapping around the younger man and pulling him into a hug.

Quackity silently sobbed into his shoulder, "It's alright, mate. You know your dad loves you, right?" He nodded, though the movement was limited. "He wishes he could be here with you, Q, really. Sam tells me all the time; in letters, during visits.

"Even when you were younger and he was around all the time, you were all he talked about. You're his favorite person, Quacks, so don't get all hung up on this, alright?" The two separated and Phil lifted a hand to wipe a tear. "He'll be here soon. I'm sure of it."

Quackity sniffled and smiled, "Thanks, Phil." He said.

"Anytime, kid. Now go shower and change, then we can make dinner for when the boys come home, yeah?" He said, standing. "We're going to Wilbur's tonight, so be prepared for the kids being absolutely batshit."

Quackity chuckled and stood from the couch too. "Alright, Phil. I'll be down in a bit." He said, quickly ascending the stairs.

He took a deep breath.   
Tomorrow is another day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIRD CHAPTER DONE
> 
> CAN I GET SOME POGS IN THE CHAT??
> 
> also sorry if these seem kinda short, i try to get at least 1k words in each chapter!!


	4. she wants to dance around the room

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> schlatt and niki finally talk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HOLY SHIT BALLS THIS ONE TOOK A HOT MINUTE  
> SORRY FOR BEING SO LATE, I WAS FEELING PRETTY UNMOTIVATED ALL WEEKEND
> 
> N E WAY HERES CHAPTER FOUR

Quackity watched as Tommy and Tubbo ran ahead of them towards Wilbur's cottage. Tubbo suddenly stopped, crouching down in front of a flower.

"Tubbo, c'mon! You can look at bees later!" Tommy called, getting impatient.

Tubbo stood slowly, walking up to Tommy and showing him the bee that was crawling on his hand. The boy let out a small 'woah' eyes shining.

Quackity smiled at their child-like wonder, remembering when he felt the same way about pretty much anything he came into contact with. Especially ducks.

He thought back to the time he came home with five ducklings following him. Sam hadn't been too happy and made him bring them back. Of course, Quackity wouldn't give in so easily, and asked if they could keep one.

"Just one, Dad." He had pleaded. A small, golden duckling snuggled into his chest. "Please? I promise I'll take good care of it!"

Sam had only sighed, "It's a wild animal, Duckling, it has to be with it's mama." He explained. His voice was gentle, the same voice he used when Quackity had nightmares. 

Little Quackity looked down at the duckling in his hands and sighed. "Ok. I get it. Can I name him at least?" He asked, looking at his dad with teary eyes.

Sam smiled, "Of course."

"Ok. Then his name is...uhhhh-oh! His name is Señor Stinky!"

He smiled fondly at the memory. Phil nudged his arm, "We're here." He said.

And sure enough, there was Wilbur's house. That was quick.

Techno knocked on the door, only to have 12-year-old Fundy to practically rip the door of the hinges, excited to see Tommy and Tubbo.

"Fundy!" The two cheered at the same time.

"Tommy! Tubbo!" He exclaimed in return. The trio immediately raced back into the house, Fundy ranting excitedly about what he had been doing.

Quackity quietly followed Phil and Techno into the house. The three of them found Wilbur in the kitchen, cooking what looked like beef stew. 

"Hey, Dad! Techno, Q." Wilbur said in greeting.

Techno grunted, setting the basket of bread he'd carried on the table and making his way to the living room with a book.

Wilbur smiled, putting a lid on the stew. "So, how goes it? The kids causing any trouble?" He asked.

Phil chuckled, taking a seat at the table, mindful of his wings. Quackity stayed standing.

He thought about his interactions with the prince. It's all he seemed to think about recently. Well, that and when his father will return. 

The prince seemed to be kind enough, Quackity supposed. He seemed a tad egotistical and maybe a bit stand-offish. 

"-ackity! You there, kid?" Phil said, snapping in front of his face.

He jumped, "Y-yeah, I'm here. Sorry, what'd you say?" He asked.

Phil looked a bit concerned, "I just asked if you could go check on the boys, make sure they're not destroying everything." He gave a tired smile.

Quackity nodded and walked toward the back door where the kids were running around. They seemed to be doing alright. Tubbo was holding quite a few bees, though.

The task he'd been giving was a bit bored and Quackity found himself wondering what the prince was doing.

•~•

Schlatt stood in a small circle of rather snobbish-looking nobles. They were obviously wearing their most expensive clothing.

"So," One if them started, swishing the drink in his hand, "What do you think of the princess? Quite a beauty, isn't she?" 

Schlatt flashed his award-winning grin, noticing how a few peered suspiciously at his sharp canines. "Yes, the princess is quite beautiful. Seems to be kind, as well."

One of the older ones laughed, "She'll make a good wife, that one." She said, taking a sip of her red wine. "I wish my girls were as well behaved as her."

"Oh, tell me about it, I caught my daughter with the baker's son the other day!" Another said, grabbing champagne from a waiter passing by.

"Little Sarah?"

"Yes! She was just..."

Schlatt started to tune them out, instead choosing to scan the room. He saw Niki chatting with a man, looking quite clearly uncomfortable.

They made brief eye contact, before Niki quickly looked away. The man she was talking to was standing a bit to close to her.

Schlatt glared and silently dismissed himself, walking over to where Niki stood. "There you are!" He said, putting up an act. "I've been looking for you everywhere!"

The noble she was talking to leaned back a bit, sneering at the prince. Niki smiled, relief flooding her eyes, "Oh, sorry about that!" She turned to the man, "You must excuse me, Sebastian, but I believe I must talk with Schlatt." 

Sebastian huffed and stalked away, already flirting with some other poor girl. Schlatt rolled his eyes and pulled Niki toward the balcony outside of the ballroom.

Once outside, the two sighed. Niki took it upon herself to hug the man, who froze at the sudden contact. "Thank you." She whispered, then moved away.

Schlatt huffed, moving to lean against the railing. "Well, the guy was clearly bothering you, and I wasn't about to let that slide." He said.

Niki stood next to him, leaving a bit of room between them. "Ya know, I don't know a lot about you." She said suddenly, catching him off guard.

"Well, I could say the same for you."

She chuckled, "Yeah, I guess." She paused, "So, tell me about yourself."

"What do you want to know?"

Niki thought for a moment, "...How do you feel about this whole arranged marriage thing?" Her voice was quiet.

Schlatt sighed, "If I'm being honest, I'm not a big fan. You seem sweet, but you're not really...my type..." He said.

Niki's head shot up, "You mean-"

He nodded.

"Me too." 

And oh wow, Schlatt hadn't been expecting that.

~~~

An hour later, the two found themselves hanging out in Schlatt's room. Minx wasn't there, but left a note saying that she was working.

Niki laid horizontally on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. "Do you ever wish you weren't royalty?" She asked after a while.

Schlatt's mind trailed back to Quackity, "All the time." He whispered, leaning his head against the back of the chair he sat in.

Both had taken their shoes off, Schlatt's vest was hanging over the desk chair and Niki's gloves her thrown on the bed next to her.

"Ya know," Niki said, "One time I had a crush on one of our maids. All it took was a chef finding us in the pantry to get her fired. I felt terrible.

"She was a hybrid, too, which only made matters worse." She continued, sitting up and staring at her hands. "I hope she's alright."

Schlatt's eyebrows furrowed, "What is it with this place and hybrids?" His hand reached up, lightly touching his soft ears.

Niki shifted, sitting so she faced him. "Something happened years ago. Some corrupt ruler had brainwashed everyone into believing hybrids were monsters from hell and that they were going to steal your children." She said, eyes filling with guilt.

"That's... _horrible _." He said, feeling his anger rise. He thought back to the queen's assistant threatening Quackity. "So why did your father even agree to this alliance?"__

__"He said that it gives us leverage over you, though I doubt it. You're army is large and the people there are as loyal as it gets."_ _

__Schlatt scoffed, "I don't know why my parents agreed to this. Probably to avoid another war." He said, leaning on his hand and staring out the window._ _

__Stars glistened, splattered across the mixes of blues, purples, and blacks. It was beautiful. The colors reminded him of a certain gardener._ _

__Niki suddenly spoke up, "Wanna sneak out with me tonight?"_ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SCHLATT AND NIKI FRIENDSHIP POG???😳🖐
> 
> THAT WAS THAT HOPE YALL ENJOYED


	5. kiss you until her lips turn blue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> two royals sneak out in hopes adventure, but what do they find instead?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOOOOO WE'RE MAKIN PROGRESS BOYS😩🖐
> 
> also so so so sorry for such a late update :,,) my school had conferences so i had some homework to do
> 
> my updates will be inconsistent, but i try to upload as quick as possible!!
> 
> hope you enjoy this chapter :D

_"Wanna sneak out with me tonight?" ___

__Schlatt's head snapped to Niki, eyes wide. "What do you mean 'sneak out'?" He asked._ _

__She rolled her eyes, "I mean sneak out of the castle and into town. I do it all the time." She explained, gesturing vaguely with her hands._ _

__"What would we even do?" He'd never been into town before; Manberg's security is way too high._ _

__"Anything we want."_ _

__~~~_ _

__The two decided that they wouldn't sneak out the night of the dinner/ball. Too many snitches around. (Plus, Quackity wasn't there to help)._ _

__So, the next day, as the sun fell beyond the horizon, Schlatt snuck out of his room to meet Niki in the flower garden. What he didn't know was that a certain seamstress was following him._ _

__When he found the princess, she was chatting calmly with the gardener. Quackity's eyes met his and Schlatt watched as the easy smile was replaced with a fearful frown._ _

__"Schlatt, you made it-" Niki stopped short, looking at something behind him. Something that made her cheeks go tomato red. "Did-did you bring Minx with you?"_ _

__Schlatt whipped around to find a smirking Minx. He glared, "What are you doing here?" He grumbled._ _

__She only shrugged, walking forward so she could stand right in front of him. "I just wanted to see why your goody-two-shoes ass was wandering around the castle at night." Minx glanced at Niki for a split second, "So, you were just gonna sneak out without me?"_ _

__"Sorry," Quackity said, pinching the bridge of his nose, "Who the fuck are you? And is anyone else coming?" He asked, clearly not happy about this turn of events._ _

__Schlatt sighed, "This is-"_ _

__"I'm Minx," She interrupted, sticking a hand out, "It's nice to meet you. Us workers gotta stick together, yeah?"_ _

__The gardener gave her a small smile, "Yeah. I'm Quackity, by the way." He said._ _

__Minx snapped, "Ohhhh, so you're the gardener!" She said, looking back at Schlatt. "He's cute."_ _

__The two girls snickered at the others' flushed faces. While Schlatt was trying to hide his in the fabric of his cloak, Quackity just covered his face with his hands (though the tips of his ears gave him away)._ _

__Niki giggled, "Alright, guys, follow us." She said, though she stayed behind with Minx, allowing Quackity to take the lead._ _

__He led them through the garden and around to the gates of the castle. They walked along the side of the wall until Quackity stopped and tapped a brick that looked slightly out of place, causing the bricks to separate into a small walkway._ _

__"Woah-" Minx exclaimed, Niki slapping a hand over her mouth. They glanced around for anyone, and moved out when they saw nothing._ _

__The town was beautiful. Lanterns lit the cobblestone pathways, and restaurants with tables outside were lit with small candles. People chatting from inside different buildings filled the air._ _

__It was nice._ _

__Quackity and Schlatt walked next to each other as the girls went ahead, whispering to themselves. They pretended not to noticed Minx and Niki's hands intertwining._ _

__"So," Schlatt started, "what's there to do in town?" He asked._ _

__Quackity fiddled nervously with his bandana. "Plenty. The people down here, furthest away from the castle, don't know what you look like, so we could probably get some food." He said._ _

__He smiled, "Food sounds great." Schlatt said._ _

__Quackity offered a small smile then pulled him toward a small bakery. "This is Karl and Sapnap's bakery." He said, opening the door, "They're always open."_ _

__A man came around from the back, wiping his hands on a towel. He wore a deep purple apron, and other brightly colored clothes. The man looked up and grinned upon seeing Quackity._ _

__"Big Q! Hey!" He said, walking around the counter to hug the gardener. "It's been a while!"_ _

__Quackity smiled and hugged back, "I know, I've just been busy lately." He said, releasing the man from the hug._ _

__The man looked at Schlatt, "Who's this?" He asked._ _

__Quackity froze, "This is, uh-"_ _

__"I'm Jay. It's nice to meet you." Schlatt said, watching Quackity's face melt with relief._ _

__The baker smiled, shaking his hand. "I'm Karl-"_ _

__Just then smoke poured from the back kitchen and a man came out, coughing and waving a cloth. "Yeah, you don't wanna go back there, man, I burned all the muffins-"_ _

__Karl chuckled, "and this is my fiancé, Sapnap." He said, turning to the man, "Bad's not gonna be to happy, Sap."_ _

__Sapnap made his way around the counter, slinging an arm over Quackity's shoulders. "Yeah, yeah, he doesn't like anyones muffins unless he makes them himself." He waved a hand dismissively._ _

__Schlatt felt slightly out of place. It was obvious these three had known each other for a while. He stood next to Quackity silently._ _

__Sapnap squinted at him, "You look kinda familiar...what's your name again?" He asked._ _

__"Jay."_ _

__Karl put a hand on his chin, "Now that you mention it, he does look pretty familiar. Have we seen you somewhere?"_ _

__"No, I just moved here." Schlatt said quickly, knowing Quackity's improv skills were not the greatest. "That and I don't live too close, you're probably mistaking me for someone else."_ _

__Karl shrugged, "Probably. I mean, one time I accidentally called Tommy, Tubbo. He didn't talk to me for three days." He said._ _

__"Tommy and Tubbo are brothers," Quackity explained, "I live with them and their family." He said._ _

__Schlatt nodded, "One time my dad called me my sister's name." He grumbled, glaring as the others laughed. "It's not funny! It took him a solid minute to get my name." He looked over at Quackity, trying not to think about how pretty he looked when he laughed._ _

__"I'm just glad I don't have any siblings. I know damn well my dad wouldn't be able to get my name right." He said._ _

__Sapnap looked to Quackity, "That reminds me, do you know when Sam is coming back? Our oven needs a bit of an adjustment." He said, looking slightly guilty as Karl glared at him._ _

__Quackity's mood seemed to drop, "No, I don't know when he'll be back, but I hope it's soon-" He was cut off by yelling in the streets._ _

__"Where's the princess!?" A guard shouted, "Did one you half-mobs take her?!"_ _

__Quackity gasped, "I've gotta go. I'll talk to you later." He said to the bakers._ _

__"Wait-"_ _

__But the two were already leaving out the back door. Quackity's hand clutched Schlatt's and the ram tried not to think about how good it felt._ _

__The gardener pulled them into a small space between two walls. Their chests were an inch apart and Schlatt could feel Q's breath on his neck._ _

__They listened as footsteps ran by them. Schlatt's heart was racing and he was sure Quackity could hear it._ _

__The whole time their hands were together._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> owo whats this?


	6. handsome stranger, you have made her wonder...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> yeah idk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry this took so long a) i have school and b) i am literally struggling so badly with ao3s publishing system like i am so close to smashing my phone against the wall
> 
> regarding the fundy situation:  
> the jokes he made were truly disgusting and not funny in the slightest. they were genuinely hurtful and im so incredibly disappointed. i hope he learns from this and becomes a better person

The two held their breath, Schlatt overly aware of how close they were standing. Quackity didn't seem to notice, too hung up on checking his surroundings.

Suddenly, there were noises from down the alley. Quackity jerked his head back from where he had been peeking out. 

Only for a certain princess and seamstress to run past.

Schlatt caught Minx's eye, glaring at her and she had the audacity to look only slightly sorry. He hardly registered Quackity tighten his grip on his hand and pull him towards where the girls were heading.

They made their way to another alley, all four of them panting and out of breath. Quackity grumbled to himself, going on about how he was 'sick and tired of being dragged in the royal family messes, Niki-'.

Anyway.

They could still hear the guards yelling and their superiors shouting orders. Schlatt had no idea what was going to happen next.

•~•

Quackity knew what he was about to suggest was probably a terrible idea. But it was far too risky to get them back into the palace by tonight, right?

"Guys, I have a plan, and you have to trust me on this." He whispered, getting their attention. "The house my dad owns is empty right now, we can stay there until it's safe to leave."

Schlatt went wide-eyed, "Quackity are you insane!?" He whisper-yelled, "We can't just not go back to the castle! You could get in serious trouble!"

He glared at the prince, "I'd rather have a chance of not getting fired than immediately getting caught by the King's Guard." Quackity whisper-yelled back.

Niki, on the other hand, was star-eyed. "You mean we get to live life like normal people?" She whispered excitedly.

"Well, it would probably only be about a day or so-"

"Oh, this is so exciting!" She interrupted, "I've never slept anywhere outside the castle!"

Quackity shushed her, "Shut up, or we'll all get caught." He said, "Come on then, follow me." 

The four stumble around the backs of buildings and businesses. He heard Schlatt groan as he stepped in a suspiciously sticky pile of...something. Minx had only snickered at him.

Quackity rolled his eyes. He was stuck with a bunch of rich people. This was going to be fun.

~~~

Quackity pulled a small key from his bag and unlocked the front door of the house he and Sam shared. Dust had began to settle and he knew he would have to ho buy food from the market.

"Make yourselves at home, I guess." He said, rubbing his eyes. Today had been long. "Sorry if it's not what you guys are used to-" Quackity stopped short, noticing that the three had already collapsed on the couch, Niki and Schlatt practically suffocating Minx.

He found himself smiling fondly as the three closed their eyes, chatting silently. Q shook his head and opened the cabinets, finding some potatoes and beats. He sighed.

He knew Sam kept this house almost completely empty of food when he left, knowing he would be gone for a while. But sometimes, Quackity would get homesick and stay in this house for a few nights.

He would have to tell Phil he was staying here.

Q looked back once again to the sleepy rich people, marveling at the fact that they immediately adjusted to the less-than-ideal living room.

"Um," He said, a bit awkward, "I'm gonna go change. Try not to destroy the place."

Quackity watched them nod then walked upstairs. He felt his shoulders sag in relief at the thought of going to sleep. 

He rummaged through his dresser, pulling out some pants and a racerback tank top, which helped his wings (he also kept the bandana on his head). Quackity put them on, ignoring the slight ache in his wings. As he made his way back downstairs, he heard arguing from the living room.

"Do none of us really not know what this is?"

"Let's just ask Quackity-"

"Ask me what?" He interrupted, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall. The other three froze, Niki nearly dropping his vegetable peeler. 

Schlatt's eyes went wide as he stared at his gold-yellow wings. "You-" He cleared his throat. "You have wings."

Q snorted, "That I do. What do you guys need help with now?" He asked, moving to join them in the kitchen.

Niki flushed, "Well, we found this and no one really knew what it was. Minx said shes seen maids carrying it-" She said.

He deadpanned, "This is a fucking vegetable peeler." He said. The three only looked more confused. 

"Fuckin' rich people-" He grumbled, setting down the peeler and moving to the couch. Quackity grabbed his guitar on the way, tuning it when he sat.

Slowly, he started strumming, watching as the others came and sat in different spots around the room. 

_"I start thinkin' 'bout my baby, from the minute I wake up." _He sang quietly, closing his eyes. _"And that feelin' is the best I've ever had." _The room dissolved into silence as the three listened to Q's soft voice.____

_____"She is in my shavin' mirror, she is in my coffee cup. I must be in love or else I'm goin' mad." ____ _ _ _

______•~•_ _ _ _ _ _

______Schlatt felt a sense of calm wash over him as he listened to Quackity sing. He was still in a bit of shock after seeing the man's wings._ _ _ _ _ _

______They were large, about the same length as the gardener's arms, if not a bit longer. They were yellow near the top, but the ends slowly dissolved into a deep, beautiful gold. The only problem was that they looked like they needed to be preened._ _ _ _ _ _

______But then again, Schlatt knew jackshit about Avians._ _ _ _ _ _

______He stared in wonder as Quackity seemed to effortlessly strum the guitar, singing right along with it. He sang some song Schlatt had never heard._ _ _ _ _ _

_______"Can't wait to tell her how much I missed her  
Feelin' sorry for Wilbur Soot, 'cause he's never kissed her." ____ _ _ _ _ _

________Well, he certainly didn't know who 'Wilbur Soot' was, but maybe Quackity knew him? And who was he singing about?_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Schlatt looked across at the love seat, seeing the two girls as close as they could get. He felt a sudden pang of sadness._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Anyone could see the two liked each other. But, he knew, just like everyone else, that they couldn't even been seen together._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________"Got a feelin' there are good times up ahead...." ____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope u enjoyed??? idk this is my like fifth time typing this
> 
> the italics arent working but u can guess what words are song lyrics 
> 
> song is bonnie from bonnie and clyde 
> 
> i changed some of the lyrics tho


	7. ...is she pretty?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the rich kids learn how to be normal people

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> holy shit this is late
> 
> i just wanted to give yall a good chapter that wasn't half-assed and rushed, so sorry that its so late :,,,)
> 
> spring break is next week so hopefully i'll update more next week!!

Quackity took a deep breath. It was the morning after he had snuck the three rich kids out of the castle and into his father's home. He had stayed in Sam's room and let the others stay in his old room.

By the time he was up, the other three were still knocked out. He sighed; of course they would be tired. Quackity doubted any of them had ran so much in their lives.

While the three were still asleep, he decided to head out to the market to buy some food. Leaving a note, he pulled on a cloak, grabbed his bag, and left the house, locking the door behind him.

The town was quiet with hardly any one out and about. The sky was gray and Quackity knew it was going to rain. Which meant everything would be muddy. And that meant he might have to wait another day until he could take them back.

He suppressed another sigh.

Quackity wandered through the market, picking plenty of food for the four of them. Vegetables, fruits, a few meats, etc. It was just a bit expensive, but that was alright.

When he finally got home, he only had a few silver coins left. Grumbling about the unfair pay, he got to work on breakfast. He was too focused on cracking eggs, he didn't hear the steps creaking.

"Hey-"

Fuck. He dropped the egg. It shattered on impact.

Quackity turned and glared at Schlatt, who had the audacity to look only mildly guilty. "What the fuck, man? That was our breakfast!" He said, bending to pick up the crushed egg.

Schlatt winced, "Sorry, Quackity, I didn't mean to scare you." He said, taking a seat at the table. "What are you making?"

"Omelettes..." He grumbled. Quackity was quickly becoming irritated and it was only, like, 10am. "But there's only three eggs now, so I'll just make something else for myself."

And to top everything off, he heard rain hit the window outside.

Quackity groaned internally, already wanting the day to end. He got to work on the other's omelettes, taking note of the other's footsteps.

"Mornin', guys."

"Good morning!"

Quackity gave a small smile to the girls as they took their spots next to each other. "G'morning. Did you sleep well?" He asked.

"Yeah. Better than I have in a while, actually." Minx admitted. She not-so-subtly scooted closer to Niki.

Niki smiled, "Same." She said. A faint blush dusted over her cheeks.

Schlatt sneered, "I didn't." He said, "I still don't know why I had to sleep on the floor. I could've taken the couch!" He complained.

Quackity sighed for what felt like the 20th time. "I already told you, Schlatt: someone could see you." He said, placing their omelettes on the table.

Minx smirked, "He could've slept with you-" She was cut short by Schlatt flinging a piece of egg at her. "Hey!"

"Shut the fuck up, Minx." He glared.

Minx only rolled her eyes, "You're all bark, no bite." She said.

"I will personally beat your ass-"

"I'd like to see you try-"

"Ladies, ladies, you're both beautiful." Quackity interrupted, putting his hands up. "Calm down. I don't need my neighbors coming over."

"Sorry..." The said at the same time, once again glaring at each other.

Q pinched the bridge of his nose and took his spot next to Schlatt. "Moving on," He said, giving the two a Look™, "If you're going to be staying here, you need to help with chores. You are so lucky I have today off."

Niki raised a shy hand. "Um, what exactly _are_ chores?" She asked reluctantly.

Quackity wanted to strangle the rich.

~~~

"How do I know I used enough soap?"

"It's common sense, Niki. Just add a bit;

not too much."

"..."

"hOlY sHiT tHaTs ToO mUcH-"

~~~

"Schlatt, no, you _cannot_ sweep it under the rug, that doesn't fix anything!"

"I mean...it makes the floor look clean."

"That doesn't mean it's actually clean!"

~~~

"Minx, I'm so glad you can sew. I don't know how long that shirt's had a hole in it."

"It's no problem. Need anything else?"

"Um, if you don't mind-"

"I'll take it."

"..."

"..."

"Quackity..."

"Yeah?"

"thAT'S SO MANY SHIRTS-"

~~~

The three flopped on the couch, exhausted from the work they did. Despite, what little they did, Quackity was somewhat proud.

The rich kids had managed to complete some menial tasks. Good for them.

Soon, they had passed out and Quackity was left to his own devices. He took this time to pull out the notes he'd exchanged with Sam to give him some kind of clue of when he would be coming back.

_"Hey, kid! Sorry I haven't been to visit yet, the BadLands are a bit messed up. Bad has me making stuff left and right. Anyway, how have you been? Your letters seem to have less energy than they normally do, is something up? I can always come back early if you need me to._

_I don't want to cut this letter short, but Skeppy is calling for me. Don't forget to take care of yourself._

_Love, Dad."_

Sam hadn't visited this month, which was slightly worrying considering it was nearly over. The two sent letters as frequently as possible and lately Quackity had been getting less and less.

It scared him.

His anxiety went haywire and his mind raced with all the possibilities.

Could he be dead? What if he was in trouble and no one could save him? Had someone hurt him and left him for dead? Maybe he was on his way back and got captured by pillagers.

Or maybe he doesn't want to come back.

Quackity was too lost in his own mind to hear a voice call his name.

~•~

Schlatt hadn't actually fallen asleep. He just closed his eyes as the girls slept. Sure, he was tired, but he knew if he slept now, he wouldn't sleep tonight.

Plus, Quackity had seemed a bit off today.

Actually, he seemed off ever since Sapnap mentioned his dad. Schlatt wanted to make sure he was ok.

His eyes snapped open at the sound of a sob and the heavy breathing that followed. Schlatt stood up, trying not to disturb the other two.

He wasn't expecting to see Quackity curled in a ball on the kitchen floor, letters surrounding him. Tears poured down the man's face.

"Quackity?" Schlatt asked softly. When the other man didn't show any sign of hearing him, he spoke again, louder this time. "Quackity."

Still no response.

He sat down next to him. "Quackity, I need to know if you can hear me." Schlatt said, firm but kind. He snapped his fingers in front of his face, seeing recognition flash in his eyes. "Good. Can you hear me, Q?"

The man nodded.

"Can I touch you?"

He hesitated before nodding.

Schlatt reached out and grabbed his hand, squeezing it and feeling a small squeeze in return. "I need you to follow my breathing, alright?" He moved Q's hand to his chest, breathing deeply.

Soon, Quackity's breath evened out, and he snapped back to reality. He looked exhausted. Said man rubbed his eyes, either not noticing or not caring about his hand still being intertwined with Schlatt's.

(Schlatt noticed)

"I'm sorry about that..." Quackity mumbled, leaning his head on his shoulder. "Shit's been rough lately-"

"You don't have to explain. I get it."

Schlatt said, leaning his head on Quackity's. "Scared the shit outta me, though."

He chuckled, "Yeah. Scares Phil too." Q said. His laugh warmed Schlatt's heart and he felt heat flare up in his cheeks.

"You should go to be, Q." He said after a while, nudging the man slightly. "I'll wake up the girls so they can get in bed."

As if on cue, the girls wandered into the kitchen, Niki's hand closed around Minx's. "You guys alright?" She yawned, "Why're you on the floor...?"

Schlatt shrugged, "No reason. C'mon, it's late." He said, pulling Quackity up. "Let's get to bed."

~•~

Quackity let himself be guided by Schlatt

to Sam's room, still feeling a bit out of it. He fell onto the bed, the warmth of the bed consuming him.

"Alright, I'm gonna head to the other room. G'night, Quackity."

"Wait-" He said, surprising himself. "I, uh, do you...wanna sleep in here? With me?"

Schlatt's face went red.

Quackity flushed, "Not like that! I mean, like, it's probably more comfortable for the girls if you sleep in here. And not to mention you don't have to sleep on the floor-"

Schlatt put his hand over his mouth. "Sure. I'll sleep in here. Better than the floor." He muttered.

Quackity smiled and yanked Schlatt's arm so he tumbled into the bed. He chuckled as Schlatt struggled to get up from his position on the bed.

"Shut up-"

"Not my fault you can't control your own limbs-"

"Oh, fuck off-"

_"Shut up!"_ Minx yelled from the other room.

After a moment of silence, the two burst in laughter, ignoring the groans of irritation from the girls. Quackity glanced at Schlatt, laughter fading as he took in his appearance.

The work he had done today reflected on how he looked; his hair was ruffled and unkempt. There were a few smudges of dirt on his face and there were bags under his eyes. His clothes were wrinkled and dirty.

Yet somehow, he was still able to make Quackity's heart race.

He hadn't even noticed he'd been staring until Schlatt asked if he was ok.

"Uh, oh, um, yeah-" He blurted, "Sorry, just lost in thought, I guess."

Schlatt only shrugged and adjusted his position. Quackity scolded himself internally, shoving his face into his pillow.

"Night, Q."

"Goodnight, Schlatt."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope yall enjoyed😩🖐
> 
> kudos make me smile and comments are greatly appreciated :]]


	8. but it's too late

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> its the next morning, what shenanigans will occur?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOAH MAMA THIS ONE TOOK A WHILE HUH??
> 
> seriously tho, thanks for all the love on this story! its super fun to write and im glad yall are enjoying it :]
> 
> take this chapter i wrote like 1 minute ago

"Alexis Quackity Awe, what the hell is going on here?!"

Quackity woke with a start, immediately tumbling off the bed and onto the floor. He sat up slowly, rubbing the back of his head, hoping to soothe the pain.

Then the voice processed in his head.

Only one person called him that.

The man winced and slowly turned to face his father. Sam Awe.

"Uh, hey, Dad..."

•~•

Ok, listen; Sam was a reasonable person. He always let his son explain before he got mad at something the kid would do.

But this...this was pushing it.

Why, oh why, was the _Prince of Manberg_ in _his_ bed?

"Don't 'uh, hey, Dad' me, Alex." He said, glaring at his son, who was still sitting on the floor. "Wanna tell me why the _fuck_ the Prince is on my bed? And while your at it, why you were in bed with him?"

A small part of Sam felt bad. This is the first thing he says to his son after not visiting for weeks?

Then he remembered he's supposed to be mad right now.

Quackity stood, fidgeting nervously, "Well, you see-" He began.

"Quackity?"

Their heads snapped to the doorway.

"Is that the _fucking_ Princess!?"

~~~

Sam was now sitting at his kitchen table with his son, two royals, and a seamstress.

What had his life become?

"So...you're telling me," He started, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You snuck these three out of the palace, ended up getting caught, and decided to hide out in my _house_."

"Uh, yes?" Alex said, smiling nervously.

Sam sighed, wrapping both hands around his coffee mug. "You know, when I said make new friends, this isn't what I meant." He smiled when he saw Quackity's look of relief.

"You're not completely off the hook, though."

•~•

Uh, oh. Quackity knew that voice.

"Wait, Dad, think about this-"

Sam shrugged and stood, "Alex, I've made up my mind." He placed his mug in the sink. "You're going to have to give Fran a bath."

"Daaaaaad, c'mon-"

"Alex. You brought three very important people into my house, any other parent would be furious. You're lucky I'm your father."

Quackity groaned and slumped in his chair, knowing he was acting immature. "Fine. But please help me get them back to the castle." He begged.

Sam smirked, "I already have a plan."

~~~

Quackity wasn't sure how he felt about this plan. Sam was confident enough and promised that it would work.

Basically, he was going to march right up to the guard with Niki, Schlatt, and Minx, say that he found them on his way back to El Rapids, and that he already took out the bandits.

Quackity had already gone into work and was waiting for Sam to arrive with them. As to not seem suspicious, he pretended to check on the flowers at the front of the castle.

_Ah, yes,_ He thought, _these roses are certainly...roses._

Suddenly, there was a commotion behind him. Quackity turned to see Sam with the whole crew. He flinched when the guards immediately put their swords to his father's throat.

He couldn't hear what they were saying, but he hoped Sam wasn't being a complete idiot.

•~•

Schlatt had never been so confused and scared in his life.

He had just met the father of a man he may or may not have a small crush on only to have said man yell at them for being dumb. Which, he will admit, was deserved.

But that's not it, oh no, said father also offered a plan that everyone agreed to and now had a sword to his throat. He and Niki were grabbed and immediately pulled toward that castle. Minx stayed beside Sam, confirming his story.

As they were led (read: pulled) into the building, they passed Quackity, whose face was ridden with worry and guilt. Schlatt attempted a smile, but probably came across as a grimace.

Soon, he was standing in front of the king and queen with Niki by his side. The king looked furious, while the queen seemed indifferent.

"So," The king began, "Daughter, please explain." He said.

Oh no. Niki was a shit liar.

"Well, you see-"

The doors bursted open. Schlatt thanked whatever god or goddess was watching over them.

"Your majesty, I believe this man can explain." The guard said, pushing Sam forward. Minx hurried to stand by her fellow workers.

The king let out an amused hum, "Oh, Mr. Awe, I see you've returned. How was the trip?" He asked.

"Well, it was pretty uneventful up until the end." He said, "I ran into a few bandits with these three-" Sam gestured to Niki, Schlatt, and Minx. "-so I took them out and hurried home to bring them back."

The king nodded, thinking over this new information. "I see...you got all of them, yes?" He asked, eyebrow raised.

Sam nodded, "Yes, your majesty." He said.

"Right then, away with you. I need to speak with my daughter. In private."

Many took the hint and left the room. Minx quickly grabbed Schlatt and pulled him towards his room.

"Holy shit, that was so close." She muttered, "They had me confirm everything he said."

Schlatt let out a sigh, "We are never doing that again." He said.

"Agreed." Minx replied, though Schlatt knew she enjoyed it as much as he did.

•~•

Quackity was pulling weeds when Sam arrived in the garden. He quickly sprang up and hurried to his father, wrapping his arms around his midsection.

"I'm so glad you're ok, Dad." He said, his voice muffled by his clothing.

Sam chuckled and hugged him back. "'M glad you're ok, too, Duckling." He said, "Just, please, never pull that stunt again. You're the reason I have gray hairs."

Quackity laughed and pulled away, "I missed you. Phil said he didn't know when you would be back, and it had been so long that I started to get worried-" He rambled.

"Woah, hey, it's ok," Sam said, "I'm here now, aren't I? No need to worry now."

"Yeah, you're right. Sorry."

"Nothin' to apologize for, kid."

"Sorry."

Sam sighed. "So, anything happen while I was gone?"

"Well, Techno got promoted."

"Woah, really? That's great!"

"I know right? A big day for us." Quackity's wings twitched underneath his shirt. "Maybe we'll be able to live like normal people soon..."

Sam patted his shoulder, "Don't worry, Alex, we'll get there. It's gonna take a while, but it's soon. I can feel it." He said.

"I hope you're right."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry if that was shitty and fast paced, its like 12am and i didn't proofread it
> 
> (please leave kudos and comments, they make my day :D)

**Author's Note:**

> thats the first chapter!! hope yall enjoyed!!


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